UNITED STATES
NBC News
Pope Francis ordered the Vatican this week to act “decisively” in protecting children from sexual abuse and punishing predator priests, but his brief statement contained few specifics on how to stem the crisis that has roiled the Catholic Church for a decade.
The new pontiff directed the Vatican office known as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to “continue the line” on the anti-abuse policies set by his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI.
Observers say that to restore the church’s credibility and ensure the safety of children worldwide, Francis will have to back up his words with actions. Here they offer some recommendations:
Heads should roll
The pope should demote or discipline a few bishops who were found to have covered up misdeeds, said David Clohessy, executive director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, noting that Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City has held onto his diocese even though he was convicted of a misdemeanor for failing to report a pedophile priest.
Although others said the pope was just being polite, Clohessy was incensed that he greeted scandal-scarred Cardinal Bernard Law during the traditional visit to St. Mary Major the day after his election. “Actions speak louder than words,” he said.
Name names
“The church needs to be open about the names of offenders who have been found to be abusers,” said Kathleen McChesney, a former FBI official and ex-director of the Office of Child Protection at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “If you’re a diocese and you know that these 10 clergy members abused children, you should put those on the website.”
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